Mexican Guacamole

The first time I ever used Tabasco (hot chilli sauce) was when I made my first guacamole.

This spicy Mexican purée, made with fresh avocados, chillies and ripe tomatoes, is still a great favourite. Serve it as a first course with good crusty bread or as a dip with raw vegetable strips. Don't make guacamole more than three hours ahead, though, or it will discolour.

Method

First it's important to have ripe avocados.

All you do is halve them, remove the stones, then cut them into quarters, remove the flesh from the skin and place it in the bowl of a food processor. Now, using a teaspoon, scrape away any green part of the avocado flesh that has adhered to the skin and add this, as this will help to give lots of green colour.

Now skin the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them, then leave them for exactly 1 minute before draining and slipping off their skins (protect your hands with a cloth). You can also watch how to do this in our Online Cookery School on the right. Then halve them and pop them in to join the avocado, followed by the garlic, onion and chillies, and then add the lime juice, a few drops of Tabasco and some salt and pepper.

Now whiz it all to a smooth purée, pile it into a serving bowl and cover with clingfilm. Chill till you need it and serve it sprinkled with the fresh coriander leaves.

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